The present invention relates to a new and improved construction of apparatus for the release of flexible, flat products, especially printed products from a conveyed product stream or formation, the printed products being retained by grippers of a conveyor device, wherein such grippers are attached in spaced relationship at a traction element.
Generally speaking, the product removal apparatus of the present development employs grippers of a conveyor device for retaining the products, these grippers being arranged in spaced relationship at a traction element. Also, there is provided at least one release device which can be switched-on and switched-off. The release device in its activated or switched-on state opens the grippers passing the release device.
It is known for the removal of printed products out of the conveyed product stream to arrange beneath the conveyor device a revolvingly driven transfer or take-over conveyor belt which exhibits the same conveying direction as the conveyor device and possesses a conveying speed or velocity which is however somewhat less than the conveyor device. Significant in this regard are German Patent Publication No. 2,752,513 and the corresponding British Pat. No. 1,568,752. The printed products which bear at the region of their trailing edge upon the transfer conveyor belt or band can detach from the opened grippers by virture of the lower velocity of the transfer conveyor belt. Following product release the printed products come to lie upon the transfer conveyor belt and are outfed by the latter. Particularly when encountering large conveying speeds of the conveyor device it is necessary that the transfer conveyor belt have a relatively long transfer or take-over run to ensure for the complete removal of the printed products. This rather long transfer run of the conveyor belt requires a correspondingly great amount of space.